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Summit Prayer

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Advent Devotional

Advent Devotional

Dec. 1 - Dec. 25

A Weary World Rejoices
An Advent Devotional for When It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas

Introduction

“For more than a millennium, Christians around the world have set aside a season to remember and proclaim the arrival (or “advent”) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The story of Christmas is way more than just one day can hold. We need a whole season to marvel at the incarnation of our Lord. We need time to let our hearts prepare him room. We need space to retell his story to our friends and family.

But life doesn't often create time and space for us to reect on the gospel. In fact, for many of us, our circumstances make it dicult to celebrate at all this Christmas season. Sometimes, it doesn't feel like Christmas, and so we need a little help to see the light of Christ in the darkness around us.

We designed this devotional for that purpose-to help our church family remember and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, right there in the middle of the ups and downs of real life.

The devotional begins on December 1. Each entry takes a few verses from the Summit Bible Reading Plan for the day and provides a Christmas devotion, with an opportunity for you to respond. It should take about 10 minutes each day to do.

At the end of each entry we've provided a prompt for “Engaging with Kids.” Whether you spend time with kids this season because you are a parent, a doting aunt or uncle, a caregiver, or an invested community member, these prompts will help you contextualize the verses you are reading. Celebrating Christmas with kids always seems to make it more fun, and practicing Advent with kids may increase your sense of wonder. You can use these prompts every day, once a week, or just when it works out. Whether you choose to use these prompts with kids or not, we hope that they help you reclaim the joy of this season.

So from the young ones making their first Christmas memories, to those who have celebrated more Christmases than we can recall, this Advent season we join the crowd of Christians who came before us, along with our brothers and sisters around the world, to welcome the King again as we await his return in glory.

Daily Devotional

Day 7 - Imitating the Good That Comes from God

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

3 John 11

Have you ever been stuck? Caught in patterns of behavior or circumstances that you just could not seem to change? It can be miserable, aggravating, and even burdensome to feel like you can’t find the way out. We all have this experience at some point in our lives.

God knows that about us. He knows our weaknesses and our failings, but he does not abandon us in our misery. We know this about God because of Christmas–because he sent his Son, Jesus, to walk among us.

Before the first Christmas, the world was stuck in evil and doomed to repeat generations of oppressive behavior. Even God’s people committed horrible sins and could not break through into righteous living for a very long time. Then, Jesus came to earth. Finally, humanity had the perfect image of what a sinless person could be. His love was pure. His mercy was boundless. His words were wise, and his work was effective. Jesus put God’s glory on display in everything he did and said.

Because of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, you have been given a choice. You can imitate your Savior by faith in him, or you can go back to the old ways of living. You can demonstrate that God is the source of your motivations and behaviors. Or you can forget all about him and live by your own standards. John made clear in his first letter that you will never imitate Jesus perfectly on earth. Still, Jesus broke us out of the evil that enveloped the world. He is the way for us to be made righteous.

Respond

Name one aspect of your life that Jesus has changed since you came to know him. Thank him for breaking the chains of evil in your life. Tell him that you embrace the purifying work of his Spirit in your life.

Engage with Kids

Explain that sin is doing things my way instead of God's way. Work together to name an example of how we could choose our way and an example of how we could choose God's way in each of these parts of celebrating Christmas: gifts, calendar (scheduling our time), food, worship, parties/gatherings. Help kids see that doing things God's way shows his love to others and shows that we are his children.

Week 1 Family Worship

READ 1 John 4:7–12

PRAY Praise God because he is love. He always loves perfectly. Ask God for his love to fill your hearts and overflow to those around you.

SING “Love Came Down at Christmas”

Make-It-Stick Activity

Make a plan for your family to show love to others together this weekend. This could be friends, neighbors, or someone in your community. Here are some ideas:

● Shop together for gifts for one of our local partners or a program like Angel Tree, Operation Christmas Child, etc. Talk about how the kid(s) who receives gifts from you may never know who you are, but they (or their grownups) can still experience God's love through your giving.

● Make cookies or other treats and hand-deliver to neighbors, nursing home residents, or another intentionally chosen group. Use the opportunity to wish people a Merry Christmas and share why you are excited to celebrate this season.

● Help kids give away a special gift to their class, team, or neighborhood friends. Depending on your budget, this could be something lasting like a book about the Nativity, or something as simple as handmade cards. Either way, emphasize helping kids share why Christmas is special to them.

● Go caroling! This is a great chance to sing Christmas hymns, give out inviter cards for Christmas services, or even share the gospel with a captive audience.

● Get creative! You can show love in many different ways. Find what works for your family.

Prayer and Fasting Resources

Use these resources to enrich your prayer life, pray through God's word, and learn why we fast and how to do it.

Tips for Fasting and Prayer

Use these helpful tips to guide you in daily prayer and times of fasting. 

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